High-temperature and pressure packing gland



Oct. 13, 1953 E, R ATKgNS 2,655,391

HIGH-TEMPERATURE AND` PRESSURE PACKING GLAND Filed May a, 1956 Janf l lvl- By /f/ls A Trae/vers Patented Oct. 13, 1953 HIGH-TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE PACKING GLAND Earle R. Atkins, Whittier, Calif. Application May8, 1950, Serial No. 160,786 9 Claims. (Cl. 28597.1)

This invention relates to packed joints for the handling of high temperature and pressure fluids.

Heretofore in the moving of liquids under high pressures, and especially through swivel joints, it has been extremely difficult to prevent leakage or insure long life of the packing material, particularly where high temperatures have been involved, or very high pressure, or both.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide a structure for packed joints, especially but not limited to those of a `swivel type, wherein relatively long life and freedom from leakage may be attained even where uncommon high pressures and high temperatures are encountered.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a packed joint construction of such nature that appropriate'packing material may be readily forced into grooved or` similar seat structures and retained therein under pressure, the grooving or kindred formation offering, in combination with the packing material adequate obstruction to fluid flow for long periods of time regardless of pressure fand, temperature conditions. A

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a packing which is efilcient both for xed applications, rotary shaft joints, joints of the swivel type, and the like.

Other objects of the invention and various features of construction will become apparent to those skilled in theart upon reference to the accompanying drawing wherein certain embodiments of the improvement are illustrated,

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one form of swivel joint embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken from the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail illustrating a slight possible modification; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail illustrating the application of the invention for packing a shaft entering a rotary typepump or the like.

The drawing illustrates an outer joint member I and an inner joint member I2 which may be taken as typical of various joint members provided with the high pressure packing improvement hereof. This form is also `illustrative of swivel joints for which this invention is particu-V larly valuable, the swiveling section of the joint being generally indicated at I4. l

` The outer joint member l0 comprises an annular body I5 having any appropriate flow connection `I6 which, the form shown is directed 2 laterally of the axis of the joint but might be directed otherwise as desired. The body I5 is provided with an integral annular head I8 which is countersunk or bored internally to provide an internal annular seat for the reception of packing material P.

The inner member I2 comprises an annular body 22 provided with an outer flow connection 22a and a reduced inner end 23 formed with an external annular seat 24 disposed opposite the seat 2li and arranged in contact with the packing P. Preferably the body I5 is machined to provide la countersink I5a so that the extremity of the reduced inner end 23 of the body 22 may lie slightly therein if required.

I have found that, in order to prevent high pressure fluids such as hot liquids from passing along the walls of thejseats 20 and 24 at the surface of the packing P, the employment of one or more annular grooves in each of the seats 20. and 24, into which grooves the packing P isf forced, completely checks liquid seepage, even forA high pressure material such as hot petroleum oils, sulfuric acid and the like, even up to pressures of 7,000 lbs. and higher. Thus, where the annular seat 20 hasbeen used, the provision of a right angled annular groove 25 in the inner end wall 26 of the seat 20, and two right angled annular grooves 21 in the straight annular seat 24 of the reduced endg23of the'inner member effectively prevents leakage of liquids under the severe temperature and pressure conditions above indicated, and such `valuable results have endured for a given packing installation over many months of use.A An additional annular groove28, as indicated in Fig. 3, may be provided if necessary or desirable.

For the purpose of insuring adequate compression and proper retention of the packing P in opV erative relationship as illustrated, a wedgel ring 30 having an appropriately sloped compressing wall3l is positioned against the packing P in the end of the packing space between the seats 20 and 24.

In the case of a swivel joint. such as that illustratedand possessing the swiveling section I4, an internal bearing rib'orabutting `compression flange 33 is integrallycarried by a bearing-retaining-external swivel sleeve 34. The compression ange 33 is held'in `operative relationship against the wedge ring 30 through the medium of an internal threaded connection at one end of .the sleeve 34, which connection is formed by in` ternal cooperating threads on the sleeve 34 en- .gaging jwith :external threads onflthe annular head I3 of the outer member I 0. When the sleeve 34 is screwed up on the head I8 to effect proper compression of the packing P through the medium of the wedge ring 30, accidental unthreading may be prevented through the medium of a snap ring 36 engaged in sa corresponding external annular groove in the sleeve 34, the snap ring 36 having an inwardly offset locking nger 3 1 (Fig. 2) which projects through a hole 38 in the sleeve 34 and into a retention groove 33 cut longitudinally across the threads of the head I8.

The swivel section |4, comprising the swivel sleeve 34, provides means for retaining the inner joint member I2 and its annular body 22' inthe operative position illustrated. This. is effected through the medium of the swivel-bearing strl'ic-l ture disclosed and an internal threaded connection 40, by means of which the end of the sleeve 34 opposite from the threads 35 engages' and retains a thrust ring 42 bearing against a bearing ring 43 which engages ball bearings 44 turn working against a bearing ring 45 which is itself borne againstI an outstanding annular' flange or rib 43 secured upon the annular body 22, as by the integral construction illustrated or otherwise :as desired. By these means the inner reduced yendl 213 of the' body 212A of the inner joint member 1|2 is retained in the required operative' relation `ship withrespe'ct to' the packing P andthe packling se'at 2.0- of the head I8 of the` outer joint member It?. The bearing structure forthe swivel head is completed by duplicating thebearing rings 43 and 4'5 and the' ball bearings 44 at` the' opposite Side r of the rib 46", this being accomplished through the medium of bearing ring 421 disposed against the rib 45, a bearing ring 4B disposed against the internal flange 33 or" the swivel sleeve 34, and ball bearings 49 retained between the rings 4`| and 48T. For the purpose of providing proper lubrication of the swivel structure just described; a lubricant' nipple 5U is provided in the sleeve 341, this` nipplebeing" protected by an upstanding boss 52 shown as integral with the sleeve 34.` Inv orderv to= insure retention of lubricant, an appropriate sealing'ring' 54i is positioned in an appropriate groove 55 inthe adjacent' end portion of the annular b'o'dy 22, this sealing' ring 54' bearing' against the inner wall of' the thrust ring 42 in sealing relationship somewhat as i-ndicated. Locking of the thrust ring 425 against rotational movement in the' swivel sleeve' 34'vmfay beT effected through the medium ofr a set screw 60 engaged in a detent` seat 6| at the rear of the outer threads 40, or' by a snap'V ringf like snap ring 36 used atthe' other end of thel swivell sleeve 34- andwh-ich, if desired, couldbe replaced by another set screw 6U. n

In Fig. 3', there isshowna' slight modiiication`- wherein thel angular' packing. seat 2li'v in the head I8 of the outer member' Il) is retained, and the straight seat' '24 of the inner end 23 of. the inner member |12.` is combinedrwith a radially extending annular inner wall I'4l which'i is'y opposed to the end wall 26 of the seat 20 and serves to perform the function' of the innermost portion of. the compression ange' 33 o'i the formV ofi Fig'. 11. Thus, theA wall 6'4, under influence of the invner body 22, its annular'rib-the' bearing means 43, 44, 45' and the'- thr-ust bearing ring 42 retained by the swivel sleeve` 34, provides for adev quate compression of the packingfPL The described. means employing the various shoulders' or obstruction walls provided by the annular grooves 25f and .21'and the groove 28' if desired,L in= ,thetsea'ts 2|) and 24;y incom'unction with the proper compression of the packing P, serve eihciently for relatively long periods of time to prevent leakage under unusually high pressures, such as 7,000 lbs. as previously mentioned, even where high temperatures are employed and refractory fluids are being handled, such as represented by hot petroleum fractions, sulfuric acid, and other liquids.

Fig. 4 illustrates the employment of the packing of this invention upon shafts of rotary apparatus such as rotary pumps. Here a rotating shaft |22 is the joint member corresponding with the annular'body 22 of Figs. l and 3 and is provided with annular grooves |21 to receive portions of packing material P, the shaft enteringa body member II5 on a pump housing or the like corresponding with the body I5 of the otherA forms. An inner end wall |26 of the body meinb'e'r H5 is provided with an annular end groove |25 adapted to receive portions of the packing material P. Ag in the other' forms, a wedge ring `|-3|i bears against the packing material P, this'l ring being engaged by an end' plate |33 which is retained byadjusting screws |35 entering threaded slots I35 in the body member |I5. Thus, the same' type ofv packing construction is provided for the shaft |22 of Fig. 4 as' for the swivel members 22 of Figs. l and 3.

Inl addition to the specific forms illustrated, it is intended to protect all other variations` which fall within the' scope of the patent claims.

I claim as myl invention:

l.. Inl combination in a swivel joint for conducting fluids: a hollow joint member' having a bore therein provided with an anml'la'r,` angularseat for' receiving packing material; a rotary member having a first portion adapted to be re'- ceived in said joint member adjacent said s'eat and. in engagement with packing material therein; means on said joint member' overhang'ing an intermediate portion of said rotary inen'ib'e'r; bearingv means disposed between said overhang'- ing meansand said inte'r'niediat'eV portion and centering' the latter in the' former, said rst portion of said rotary member and portions of' said joint: member' about said seatV forminga space for' receivingl packing maeri'aL- each or said seat and said first portion having groove means formed therein facing said space;- packing materiah nil-ing said space and said groove means, eachf groove' means providing' a plurality' of an" guiar' means for engaging said packing material and serving? combination therewith as' resistance mean's'- to prevent uid flow between said packing material and adjacent wallsof said m'embers; and mechanical compression means bearing against said packing material and? placing the same under' compression to" force the latter into said groove means, said compression means includingv wedge' means positioned in said space and bearing' upon said packing material in compression relationship, and a`- rigid, internal, annular rib on said:v overhang'ing means and abutting said wedge means in compression' relationship tocompress said packing.

2. combination in a highepressurev and hightemperature resistant` packingv device: outer and inner' relatively'rotary members to be' packed, said outer' member providing an annular packi ing-receiving chamber having an end wall and an annular wall, said inner member entering said outer member and providing a second annular wall opposite and within said annular wall of said outer member with.. saidpacking-receiving' chamber'between said annular walls, saidim'emql bers providing between them adjacent said end wall an annular joint to be packed, said annular wall of said inner member having an endless annular groove providing opposed side walls and providing opposed sharp angles at the opposite sides of the bottom of such groove, said side walls and said annular wall of said inner member providing sharp shoulders at their junctures, one of said walls of said outer member also having an endless annular groove providing opposed side Walls and providing opposed sharp angles at the opposite sides of the bottom of such groove, the side walls and said one wall of said outer member providing sharp shoulders at their junctures, said annular grooves being spaced appreciable distances from said joint to form packingengaging annular wall portions between said joint and said grooves; a packing material compressed in said chamber and into said grooves and following said sharp angles and shoulders and engaging said walls and wall portions and the side walls of said grooves; and compression means opposed to said end wall and engaging and compressing said packing material.

3. A combination as in claim 2 wherein said annular groove in said outer member is located in said end wall.

4. A combination as in claim 2 wherein the walls containing said annular grooves extend beyond the side walls of the respective grooves remote from said joint and provide additional wall portions engaged by said packing material.

5. A combination as in claim 4 wherein said inner member rotates within the outer member and has a second endless annular groove therein spaced from the rst mentioned annular groove therein.

6. In combination in a high-pressure and hightemperature resistant packing device: outer and inner relatively rotary members to be packed, said outer member providing an annular packing-receiving chamber having an end chamber wall and an annular chamber wall, said inner member entering said outer member and providing a second annular chamber wall opposite and within said annular chamber wall of said outer member with said packing-receiving chamber between said annular chamber walls, said members providing between them adjacent said end wall an annular joint to be packed, said annular wall of said inner member having an endless annular groove providing side walls and providing at least one sharp angle at the bottom of such groove, said side walls and said annular wall of said inner member providing sharp shoulders at their junctures, one of said walls of said outer member also having an endless annular groove providing side walls and providing at least one sharp angle at the bottom of such groove, the side walls and said one wall of said outer member providing sharp shoulders at their junctures, said annular grooves being spaced appreciable distances from said joint to form packing-engaging annular wall portions between said joint and said grooves; yielding packing material compressed in said chamber and into said grooves and following said sharp angles and shoulders and engaging said chamber walls and wall portions and the side walls of said grooves; and compression means opposed to said end wall and engaging and compressing said packing material.

7. A combination as in claim 6 wherein said annular groove of said outer member is located in said end wall.

8. A combination as in claim 6 wherein the walls containing said annular grooves extend beyond the side walls of the respective grooves remote from said joint and provide additional wall portions engaged by said packing material.

9. A combination as in claim 6 wherein said inner member rotates within the outer member and has a second endless annular groove therein spaced from the iirst mentioned annular groove therein.

EARLE R. ATKINS.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 976,400 Salzer Nov. L22, 1910 1,587,207 Ackerman et al June 1, 1926 1,989,980 Hamer Feb. 5, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 507,008 Germany Sept. 11, 1930 

